Top three reads in this week’s Bunbury Herald

In this week’s Bunbury Herald, details emerge of how a man set off two explosions in his Withers home days before walking free, more driving instructors have been deployed to Bunbury to help ease delays in booking a driving test, and Bunbury’s Lauren Reynolds books a ticket to her third Olympics.

Case ends with a bang

After spending 18 months behind bars on remand, a 49-year-old Bunbury man has been released from prison after pleading guilty to having explosives that set off two explosions in his Withers home.

Iain Ross Hudson was placed on a nine-month intensive supervision order and fined after he pleaded guilty to possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances, having dangerous goods without a permit, and endangering the life, health and safety of another person.

Hudson was initially due to face a District Court trial over the two explosions but the matter was remitted to Bunbury Magistrate’s Court after the charges were amended.

Driven to frustration

More driving instructors have been urgently deployed to Bunbury to help ease the longest delay to book a practical test in regional WA.

The two temporary resources were sent down after it was revealed last week learner drivers were waiting longer than anywhere else outside the metro area to book their assessments.

Bunbury-based Nationals MLC James Hayward, who last week said the State Government needed to address the issue, said he welcomed the extra assessors but more needed to be done to fix the problem long-term.

Gritty Lauren back in top form

For Bunbury’s Lauren Reynolds, her third Olympic Games will be the most special because of the journey she’s been on to get a ticket to Tokyo.

Reynolds, who becomes the first Australian BMX rider to make three Olympics, has gone from the scrap heap to being medal contender in the past five years.